Arlington County, Arlington Rat Control Situation:
Hello. I don't know if this is something you still do, but I need some expert advise so thought I'd give it a try! We are renting a house in Alexandria VA west of DC. I think it was built in the 60's, a ranch style home, and has been renovated but has much of the original doors, framework, etc. The guest bathroom in particular is not sealed off properly. It was an add-on and not done correctly, so the slab is cracked and eroding, as well as rotten wood with holes in it sealed with foam of all things! We have a beautiful courtyard and put out a couple bird feeders, but recently took them down when we noticed the sounds of critters in the attic. We've looked up there and so far the insulation looks almost new and other than a few cobwebs it's pretty clean up there. But there are a few droppings! I want to catch this early and eradicate the problem as quickly and humanely as possible for our safety and for the safety of our landlords house. It looks like you suggest sealing first, then traps, then clean-up. What do you think about the birdseed? Is it to blame? Or the wide open house? Can the rats be coming in from below the slab? My husband, ( this is his email btw) has heard them under the tub in the guest bathroom:// Any other tips? And are you by chance nearby in Arlington VA? Probably not, but just thought I'd check! Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thank you for your time!
My response: The slab could be to blame. Perhaps there are multiple entries. I wouldn't know without seeing it, but I live in Orlando. Bird seed does attract rats, but really, the problem is that there are openings leading inside the house.
We have a roof rat problem. We've heard the little critter crawling around in our daughters upstairs bedroom (refinished attic /bedroom) for awhile now. My wife also saw the little guy in action on our neighbors bird feeder at about 3:30am this morning and then watched him head back up to our roof. That pretty much sealed the deal that we weren't dealing with squirrels... I can see a few potential issues. We don't have a way into the attic because of the way it was refinished. When previous owner did renovations, they didn't leave access point to portion of attic that is unfinished. There is also some flashing on roof that is pulled up and near where we hear the most noises. I was going to secure it, but don't want to trap anything in... Contact info is below. Give me a call on my cell, anytime, and I can go into more detail for you. Hopefully you can give me a rough estimate on the phone and then we can proceed from there. Definitely want to get this issue resolved. :)
Arlington Rat Control Tip of The Week
How Can I Get Rid Of Rats Outside My House?
Having rats outside your house disturbing your peace is indeed a big deal. Apart from being a nuisance outside your house by creating burrows in your yard or lawn, it's just a matter of time before they find their way into your home. This simply means getting rid of the rats outside your house is as important as getting rid of those in your house.
Have you been looking for the best way to do this in order to keep your environment free from rats? Right here, we will be taking you through some of the most effective and humane ways to get rid of the rats outside your house.
1. Traps
The use of traps in getting rid of rats is a method many people are quite familiar with. To use this method, all you have to do is to buy a trap from a store, bait it, and set them around the places where the rats frequent the most. Before setting this trap, make sure your pets are locked up in a compartment or restricted from moving around your yard to avoid injuring your pets instead of the rats.
2. Smoke Bombs
If the rats have successfully created numerous burrows around your house, using smoke bombs is the best way to get rid of them. To use this particular removal method, all you have to do is release the smoke bombs into all of their burrows. It is very effective, but you need to avoid using it on burrows that are close to trees and other flammable structures in order to avoid fire hazards.
3. Use Dry Ice
This particular removal method is the best option if you are in an urban area. Dry ice is a solid that releases carbon dioxide when dropped into the burrows of rats. When the dry ice is released, the carbon dioxide anesthetizes the rats and kills them. This particular method is very quick and humane.
